It has been a hot and sticky summer in the big apple, one of the hottest on record. My beverage of choice this summer is beer. In fact, anything light and refreshing, pilsners, wheaten ales with the occasional campari and soda. New food discovery, hagen-daz tart frozen yogurt with Boylans root beer makes an awesome root-beer float. Yes, this summer is all about simplicity.

June rolled in with two weddings to celebrate. The first in Texas, my niece/goddaughter tied the knot with a handsome fellow nurse from Seattle. A big, opulent brisket, tex-mex, margarita, Texas style shin-dig. We feasted and danced the night away to the sun setting on a 100 degree day. Of course she was beyond stunning in her lacy strapless gown, tan and golden.

Wedding number two my friend Rebecca who is an artist/teacher at a private school in Boston. She married the math teacher and the ceremony took place at the high school where they work. She is an art and craft maniac and made everything from the flowers, table cloths to the groom’s bow-tie. You can read about the process on her amazing blog…….

I just returned from Gastronmeg’s Vermont homestead. She has a big garden and over a dozen chickens roaming in a moveable pen in their yard. We cooked some simple delicious meals with the multitudes of produce from her garden. Summer in Vermont defines the word “green” in every way. Charlotte is growing and scouching everywhere, next time I see her I’m sure she’ll be bipedal. Lucky for me the eggs made it home on the bus in one piece.